In August 2025, my niece Bella was taken to A&E by my sister after repeated chest infections, and she pushed for doctors to carry out further tests. It was there that they discovered an enormous mass and she was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at just 6 years old.

Since then, Bella, my sister, my brother-in-law and our families have spent a lot of time in and out of hospital. Bella has been treated at St George’s and The Royal Marsden, as well as spending time locally at Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

Her treatment has been intensive and ongoing, including chemotherapy, lumbar punctures and blood transfusions, to name just a few. She will soon be coming up to one year into a two-year treatment plan, followed by five years in remission.

The Hedgehog Children’s Ward at Tunbridge Wells Hospital is where Bella is admitted locally, and it’s become a big part of our lives. The care there is brilliant, but we’ve seen first-hand how much the environment itself matters for children going through treatment.

We’re raising money to give back and help improve the ward by buying new toys and funding activities for the children who spend time there.

To raise the money, me and my partner, Charlie, will be climbing Ben Nevis next week.

If you’re able to donate, it would mean a lot to us, and it will go directly towards making the ward a better place for Bella and other children who need it.

Any donations over £10,000 will be donated directly to Great Ormond Street Hospital's new cancer centre for children and new clinical trials to help fight this terrible disease.